News: the brutalist 1960s bus station in Preston, England, has been safeguarded from demolition after being declared a Grade II-listed historic building by the UK government.

Architecture minister Ed Vaizey announced earlier today his decision to protect the concrete post-war building, which was set to be replaced by a smaller bus station as part of a regeneration of Preston's city centre.

The result marks the end of a long campaign to save the structure that was designed in the 1960s by Keith Ingham and Charles Wilson of architecture firm BDP. This was the fourth time the building had been put forward for listing and its protection has been supported by a host of architects including Richard Rogers and OMA.

Former RIBA president Angela Brady, who backed the campaign, has praised the move. "Well done. A great decision to list [Preston Bus Station]," she commented on Twitter.

Meanwhile Catherine Croft, director of heritage organisation The Twentieth Century Society, said: "This is fantastic news and long overdue."

"Obviously it's not the outcome we were hoping for," said city councillor Peter Rankin, who had supported the demolition. "We've always said the bus station is too big, provides relatively poor facilities for bus passengers and costs Preston taxpayers over £300,000 a year to maintain. We will have to take some time now to consider the listing decision and the options for moving forward."

Grade II listed buildings are considered "nationally important and of special interest" and alteration or demolition requires listed building consent, making it harder - but not impossible - for the bus station to be knocked down.